image © artinfo

There’s a lot of finger-pointing going on in light of the latest art heist in Rotterdam, and someone thinks Rem Koolhaas is to blame! No, the starchitect did not jump in and burglarize the place, but securities expert Ton Cremers thinks the Kunsthal museum’s design, by OMA, helped those who did. Last week thieves broke in and escaped with seven important works by the likes of Picasso, Matisse, and Monet—and according to Cremers, the burglars succeeded because of the building’s transparency. Read more.

The Kunsthal museum. Photo © Wikipedia

Cremers says the gallery’s glass walls and open courtyard allowed thieves to see the artworks from outside. He blamed the “lack of extra compartments” for big-ticket pieces to be hidden from plain view or stored away at night. His comments, as well as the international attention the heist has attracted, may bring new priorities to the forefront when building museums and galleries. A simple and transparent design, it turns out, may not always be a good thing—unless you’re a thief.

[via dezeen]

by Molly Cotter

posted in Uncategorized

tagged amsterdam, Kunsthal Museum, oma, rem koolhaas, rotterdam

more articles by Molly Cotter